JPH1164472A - Battery diagnostic unit - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To diagnose one or a plurality of batteries in an extremely short discharge time under a state where the measured battery is subjected to floating charge. SOLUTION: The battery diagnostic unit comprises a section 1 for controlling the current required for diagnoses connected between the terminals 6a, 6b of a measured battery 7, a disconnector 4 to be turned on/off connected between the battery 7 and the current control section 1, and a main control section 5 for confirming validity of the polarity and the voltage range between the terminals 6a, 6b of the battery 7, bringing the output from the current control section 1 to zero in starting diagnosis and turning the disconnector on after a circuit is established, causing a short duration discharge while outputting a constant current required for diagnosis or a predetermined current for sustaining a constant circuit resistance from the current control section 1 and diagnosing the conditions of the battery 7, based on the voltage and the current of the short duration discharge.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a battery diagnostic apparatus for diagnosing an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) used in a computer or the like or a battery used for other purposes than the uninterruptible power supply.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a battery plays an important role in an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) used for a computer or the like, and grasping the state of the battery is an essential condition for driving with high reliability. is there. For checking the battery, there was a method of simply measuring the open-circuit voltage of each cell, or a method of measuring a voltage by passing a small high-frequency current to measure an internal resistance. Although these methods are simple, they have the drawback that the actual condition of the actual load state of the battery cannot be grasped.

Further, in order to conduct a detailed investigation, a method has been adopted in which some of the battery cells are extracted from the battery cell group and disassembly inspection is performed to grasp the overall situation. In the destructive inspection of the battery, there is a problem that the time and man-hour required for the diagnosis are enormous. In addition, since this method takes out and inspects a few pieces from a large number, it has been impossible to estimate the remaining majority situation from the several test results.

[0004]

However, in an uninterruptible power supply or the like, several tens or more battery cells are connected and used in series, and in some cases, those connected in series are connected in parallel. is there. It is desirable to perform such a battery check without stopping the operation as much as possible. Also, the relationship between the battery terminal voltage and current is not linear, and even when measuring the internal resistance, it is possible to increase the accuracy of diagnosis by flowing a current close to the current value in actual use of the battery. It is an important condition to raise.

[0005] The fact that a long time is required for the diagnosis may reduce the reliability of the power supply device, and it is necessary that the diagnosis can be performed in as short a time as possible.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the problems of the prior art, an object of the present invention is to solve the problem effectively by shortening the battery diagnosis time as much as possible, hardly affecting the reliability of the power supply device, and improving the diagnosis accuracy. It is an object of the present invention to provide a battery diagnostic device which has high reliability and high reliability of diagnostic values.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a current control unit which uses a semiconductor device and is connected between terminals of a battery to be diagnosed and controls a current required for diagnosis. A disconnector provided between the battery to be diagnosed and the current control unit and capable of on / off operation, and the polarity and voltage range between the terminals of the battery to be diagnosed are checked for validity, and when starting diagnosis, the current control is performed. The output of the unit is set to zero and after the circuit configuration, the disconnector is turned on and the current control unit outputs a constant current necessary for diagnosis or outputs a predetermined current such that the circuit resistance value is constant while outputting a short time. A battery diagnostic device comprising: a main control unit that performs discharge and diagnoses the condition of the battery to be diagnosed from the voltage and current.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the main control unit measures the voltage and current a plurality of times during one discharge period.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, the main control section repeats a plurality of discharge operations intermittently and measures a plurality of voltage currents for each discharge.

According to still another embodiment of the present invention, the main control section can store measured data such as measured voltage and current in a semiconductor memory or a magnetic storage device, and can easily retrieve and process the measured data.

According to yet another embodiment of the present invention, the main control unit displays the discharge characteristics in a graph.

According to still another embodiment of the present invention, the main control section discharges the current in two steps with a required difference in a time-series and stepwise manner for a short time. It has a function of calculating the internal resistance of the battery to be diagnosed by dividing the voltage difference by the current difference.

According to still another embodiment of the present invention, the main control unit includes one discharge circuit for a plurality of batteries to be diagnosed connected in series, and discharges the plurality of batteries to be diagnosed simultaneously, A plurality of voltages and currents are simultaneously measured by the same number of insulated voltage measuring elements as the number of batteries.

According to still another embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of batteries to be diagnosed are provided with an individual identification code, and a bar code reader for facilitating individual identification of the batteries to be diagnosed is provided in the battery diagnostic device.

According to still another embodiment of the present invention, a voltage detection contact is embedded and integrated in a current clip for extracting a discharge current from a battery to be diagnosed.

Therefore, according to the present invention, in the state where the battery to be diagnosed is floatingly charged, the diagnosis of one or several batteries can be performed with a very short discharge, so that the measurement can be performed. With little effect on the reliability of the load device and without disturbing the load device. Also,
Since the discharge current is controlled by the semiconductor element, there is no worn part such as an electromagnetic contactor, and the reliability of the measured value is high.
In addition, since the discharge current at the time of diagnosis is a current close to the actual use current, the true state of the battery can be grasped.

[0017]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing components of an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, 1 is a current control unit using a semiconductor element, 2 is a current detection / measurement unit, 3 is a voltage detection / measurement unit.
A measuring unit, 4 is a disconnecting unit, 5 is a main control unit, 6a and 6b are a positive terminal unit and a negative terminal unit of the battery 7 to be diagnosed, and 7 is a battery to be measured (diagnosed).

The current control unit 1 is driven by a control command signal of the main control unit 5 and serves as an equivalent load resistance of the battery 7 to be measured.

The crocodile clip 8 for holding the terminals 6a and 6b is shown in FIGS. 3 (a) and 3 (b). The crocodile clip 8 mainly includes a current measuring terminal 8a serving as a crocodile portion through which a large current of the battery 7 flows, and a contact (a voltage measuring device) embedded inside the current measuring element 8a for detecting the voltage of the battery terminal portions 6a and 6b. The terminal 8b is integrally formed, thereby making it possible to reduce the number of steps for measurement and improve the accuracy of voltage measurement.

Both terminals 6a, 6b of the battery 7 to be measured
Is clamped by the crocodile clip 8, thereby forming a circuit in which a current flows from the positive electrode terminal 6a to the negative electrode terminal 6b of the battery 7 via the disconnector 4 and the current control unit 1.
Reference numeral 9 denotes a spring for applying pressure to the terminal portions 6a and 6b with a crocodile clip 8, reference numeral 10 denotes a current lead wire, and reference numeral 11 denotes a voltage lead wire.

The disconnector 4 is provided between the battery 7 and the current controller 1. In addition, the disconnector 4 and the current control unit 1
A current detection / measurement unit 2 for measuring a current is inserted between the two, and the voltage at both ends of the battery 7 is taken out by a contact 8 b attached to the alligator clip 8.
The extracted voltage is introduced to the voltage detection / measurement unit 3.

The signal related to the current measured by the current detection / measurement unit 2 and the signal related to the voltage measured by the voltage detection / measurement unit 3 are introduced into the main control unit 5. Main control unit 5
Has a built-in input processing unit (not shown), which is a diagnostic function of the battery 7, and sends a command to the current control unit 1 so that a required current is obtained.

The current control unit 1 controls the current according to its own characteristics based on the command signal. The current flowing through the current control unit 1 is detected by the current detection / measurement unit 2.

The main control unit 5 configured as described above checks the validity of the polarity and voltage range of the terminals 6a and 6b between the terminals of the battery 7 to be measured, and starts the current control unit 1 when starting diagnosis.
Is zero, and if the circuit configuration is OK, the disconnector 4
Is turned on, the current control unit 1 operates to output a constant current necessary for diagnosis from the current of the semiconductor element of zero, discharges for a short time, and performs the discharge of the battery for a short time based on the voltage and the current. Make the diagnosis.

Therefore, when the disconnector 4 is on, all the parts constitute a closed circuit, so that the flowing current is continuously and appropriately controlled. When ending the diagnosis, the output of the current control unit 1 is set to zero, and
Is turned off.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing components of another embodiment of the present invention. The figure shows a case where a plurality of, in this embodiment, three batteries to be diagnosed 7a, 7b, 7c are collectively measured simultaneously. Diagnostic batteries 7a, 7
The same number of voltage detection / measurement units 3a, 3b, 3c as the b, 7c are connected, and the voltage across the batteries 7a, 7b, 7c to be diagnosed is introduced into the main control unit 5. The main control unit 5 has the same number of input processing units (not shown) as the voltage detection / measurement units 3a, 3b, and 3c to be connected. This control operation is almost the same as in FIG.

FIG. 4 shows a flow sheet of an operation procedure from the start of diagnosis to data registration according to the present invention. In the figure, a thin frame is an operation performed by the operator, and a thick frame is an operation automatically performed by the diagnostic apparatus. When the power of the diagnostic device is turned on, the current measuring terminal 8a and the voltage measuring terminal 8b are connected to the terminal portions 6a and 6b of the battery 7 to be measured, and the polarity between the terminals and the validity of the voltage range are automatically checked. The container 4 is turned on.

The discharge is stopped for a short time while controlling to a constant current necessary for diagnosis of the battery 7 to be measured, and the current is controlled from the voltage and the current, or the current is controlled so that the circuit resistance becomes constant. Is stopped, and the condition of the battery 7 to be diagnosed is diagnosed based on the voltage and current.

FIG. 5 is a detailed block diagram of components of the battery diagnostic device shown in FIG. In the figure, the main control unit 5 is applied to a case where a constant current is continuously discharged during a diagnostic operation and a case where a current is intermittently applied. The current value is introduced into the main controller 5 via the current detector 2a and the insulation amplifier 2b, and is also introduced into the current memory 16 of the display 15 and the current display 16a. Also,
The voltage value is introduced to the main controller 5 via the voltage detector (insulating amplifier) 3d, and also to the voltage memory 17 of the display 15 and the voltage display 17a.

FIG. 6 is a detailed block diagram of other components of the battery diagnostic device shown in FIG. In the figure, the main control unit 5a is applied to a case where the resistance of the discharge circuit is continuously diagnosed as a constant value during the diagnostic operation, and a case where the discharge is intermittently performed to a discharge circuit having a constant resistance value. .

The main control units 5 and 5a as described above perform voltage and current measurements a plurality of times during one discharge period. Alternatively, a plurality of discharge operations are intermittently repeated, and the voltage and current are measured to determine the state of the battery 7.

The voltage and current of the measured data are stored in a semiconductor memory or a magnetic storage device, and the data can be easily retrieved. In addition, it is also possible to display, for example, a temporal displacement (discharge characteristic) of a plurality of measurement data in a histogram.

Further, the main control units 5 and 5a discharge the current in two steps at a time in a stepwise manner in a time-series manner so as to obtain two kinds of current values having a required difference. And has a function of obtaining the internal resistance of the battery to be measured.

Further, the main control units 5 and 5a are provided with one discharge circuit for the plurality of batteries 7 to be measured connected in series, and discharge the plurality of batteries 7 to be measured simultaneously. It is assumed that a plurality of voltages and currents are simultaneously measured by the same number of insulated voltage measuring elements.

Furthermore, a plurality of batteries 7 to be measured are provided with an individual identification code (not shown), and a bar code reader (not shown) for facilitating individual identification of the battery 7 to be measured is provided in the battery diagnostic device. .

The above functions of the battery diagnostic device are commercialized singly or in combination as needed.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and by making appropriate design changes,
It can be implemented in other forms.

[0039]

As described above, the battery diagnostic apparatus of the present invention is provided with a current control unit connected between terminals of a battery to be measured and controlling the current required for diagnosis. A disconnector that can be turned on and off can be provided between the terminals, and the polarity and voltage range between the terminals of the battery under test are checked for validity.When starting diagnosis, the output of the current control unit is set to zero, and the disconnector is turned on after circuit configuration. Discharge for a short time while outputting a constant current necessary for diagnosis from the current control unit or outputting a predetermined current so that the circuit resistance value is constant, and diagnose the condition of the battery to be measured from the voltage and current. The main controller measures the voltage and current a plurality of times during one discharge period. Alternatively, the main control unit repeats a plurality of discharge operations intermittently and measures a plurality of voltage currents for each discharge. The main control unit stores measured data such as measured voltage and current in a semiconductor memory or a magnetic storage device and easily retrieves and processes the measured data, thereby effectively solving the problems of the related art.
In the state where the battery to be diagnosed is floatingly charged, diagnosis of one or several batteries is performed in a very short time,
Since the measurement can be performed, the reliability of the power supply device is hardly affected and the load device is not disturbed. Further, since the discharge current is controlled by the semiconductor element, there is no abrasion part such as an electromagnetic contactor, and the reliability of the measured value is high. In addition, since the discharge current at the time of diagnosis is a current close to the actual use current, the true state of the battery can be grasped.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing components of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing components of another embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 3A and 3B are schematic views of a crocodile clip for holding a terminal portion, wherein FIG. 3A is a configuration diagram thereof and FIG.

FIG. 4 is a flow sheet of an operation procedure from the start of diagnosis to data registration according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a detailed block diagram of components of the battery diagnostic device shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a detailed block diagram of other components of the battery diagnostic device shown in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Current control part 2 Current detection / measurement part 3 Voltage detection / measurement part 4 Disconnector 5 Main controller 6a, 6b Terminal part 7, 7a, 7b, 7c Battery to be measured 8 Alligator clip

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. A current control unit that uses a semiconductor element and is connected between terminals of a battery to be diagnosed and controls a current required for diagnosis, and is provided between the battery to be diagnosed and the current control unit and can be turned on and off. Check the validity of the polarity and voltage range between the disconnector and the terminals of the battery to be diagnosed,
When the diagnosis is started, the output of the current control unit is set to zero, the disconnector is turned on after the circuit configuration, and a predetermined current required for diagnosis is output from the current control unit or a predetermined value such that the circuit resistance value is constant. And a main control unit for performing a short-time discharge while outputting the current and performing a status diagnosis of the battery to be diagnosed based on the voltage and the current. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the main control unit includes:
A battery diagnostic device characterized by measuring voltage and current a plurality of times during one discharging period. 3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the main control unit includes:
A battery diagnostic device characterized by intermittently repeating a plurality of discharge operations and measuring a plurality of times of voltage and current for each one discharge. 4. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the main control unit stores the measured data such as the measured voltage and current in a semiconductor memory or a magnetic storage device, and easily retrieves and processes the measured data. A battery diagnostic device characterized in that it is obtained. 5. The battery diagnostic device according to claim 1, wherein the main control unit displays the discharge characteristics in a graph. 6. The main control unit according to claim 1, wherein the main control unit discharges the current in two steps in a time series in a stepwise manner so as to have two kinds of current values having a required difference. A battery diagnostic device having a function of calculating an internal resistance of a battery to be diagnosed by dividing a voltage difference at that time by a current difference. 7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the main control unit includes:
One discharge circuit is provided for a plurality of batteries to be diagnosed connected in series, and the plurality of batteries to be diagnosed are simultaneously discharged. By the same number of insulated voltage measuring elements as the number of batteries, a plurality of voltages are simultaneously output. A battery diagnostic device for measuring current. 8. The battery diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an individual identification code is attached to each of the plurality of batteries to be diagnosed, and a bar code reader for facilitating individual identification of the batteries to be diagnosed is provided in the battery diagnostic device. Battery diagnostic device. 9. The battery diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a voltage detection contact is embedded in a current clip for extracting a discharge current from the battery to be diagnosed.